Disney–OpenAI Deal Brings Iconic Characters to Sora

The Walt Disney Company has entered a historic agreement with OpenAI to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, the company’s short-form generative AI video platform. The collaboration brings together Disney’s world-leading storytelling legacy and OpenAI’s cutting-edge technology to unlock new possibilities for fan-created content and AI-powered experiences.

Under the three-year licensing deal, Sora will gain access to a vast library of more than 200 animated, masked, and creature characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars—including costumes, props, vehicles, and signature environments. This will allow the platform to generate short, prompt-based social videos for fans to create, watch, and share. ChatGPT Images will similarly be able to produce fully generated images drawing from this same universe of intellectual property. The agreement explicitly excludes any talent likenesses or voices.

Beyond licensing, Disney will also become a major OpenAI customer, integrating OpenAI’s APIs to build new products, internal tools, and user experiences across its businesses—including Disney+. Employees will also gain access to ChatGPT to enhance workflows and creativity.

As part of the partnership, Disney will invest $1 billion in equity in OpenAI and receive warrants for additional future equity. Both companies emphasized a shared commitment to responsible AI development—protecting user safety, creator rights, and the integrity of artistic work. The collaboration aims to advance human-centered AI that enhances storytelling without compromising creative ecosystems.

Disney CEO Robert A. Iger highlighted the transformative potential of AI, noting that the partnership allows Disney to extend its storytelling reach while safeguarding creators and their works. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed this sentiment, calling Disney the “global gold standard for storytelling” and emphasizing the partnership as a model for responsible collaboration between AI innovators and creative industries.

Fans will be able to watch curated Sora-generated content on Disney+, with more immersive experiences for subscribers being co-developed. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to begin generating AI-powered, fan-inspired videos using Disney characters in early 2026.

The character universe available for AI-generated creations will include beloved icons such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Ariel, Belle, Simba, Moana, characters from Inside Out, Zootopia, Toy Story, and many more—as well as stylized versions of Marvel and Star Wars legends including Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Iron Man, Loki, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia, and The Mandalorian.

Both companies reaffirmed safeguards to prevent misuse, ensure age-appropriate content, and uphold rights to intellectual property and individual likenesses.